Eyelet



Sept. 15, 1925. 5 I 1,553,516

' J. G. DICKSON ET AL EYEIZET Filed Oct. l7 1924 Patented Sept. 15, 1925.

Y UNITED STATES PATENT JOHN G. DIGKSO'N AND JOHN G. DICKSON, .33., 0'! ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN.

EYELE'I.

Application filed October 17, 1924. Serial No. 744,198.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J OHN G. DIOKSON and JOHN G. DICKSON, Jr., citizens of the United States, residing at Ann Arbor, in the county of VVashtenaw and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Eyelet, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shoe eyelets and it consists in the novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide an eyelet especially adapted to be used upon shoes for retaining and guiding the lace in a manner whereby the uppers of the shoe may be properly stretched over the foot of the wearer and the lace is prevented from coming in contact with the edge of the upper or with any other part of the shoe except the portions of the eyelet intended to receive the lace.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for supporting a series of eyelets of the character stated and in the form of an article of manufacture adapted to be applied to the shoe.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a shoe with parts thereof broken away and showing the eyelet and eyelet supporting means appplied.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a strip with a series of eyelets applied thereto.

Figure 3 is a sectional View of the eyelet cut on the line 33 of Figure 1.

The eyelet. is formed from a. strip of sheet metal which is bent upon itself along a line midway between its ends to provide a lace passage-way 1. The passage-way 1 is curved longitudinally as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing and the inner portions of the side walls of the said passageway come together as at 2 at which points inwardly disposed humps are formed in the strip of material and these humps are adapted to lie at the edge of a flexible strip 3 when the eyelet is applied. From the humps 2 the side portions ofthe eyelet are extended approximately transversely with relation to the lace passage way 1 and are disposed one at each side-surface of the strip 3. One of the side portions 4 of the eyelet is provided with a tongue 5 which is adapted to pass through the strip 3 and which may be clinched against the exterior surface of the other side portion 4 of the eyelet. The side .portions 4 are provided with openings 6 into which the material of the strip 3 may spread when the side portions 4 are applied to the opposite side surfaces of the strip 3 and the tongue 5 is passed through the material of the strip and clinched. Thus the eyelet is held against rocking movement with relation to the strip '3. v

Then applied, the strip 3 is inserted between the shoe upper 7 and the lining thereof and is secured by sewing, or any other suitable means. The strip 3 is provided at its edge with arcuate recesses 8 in which the curved passage-way portions 1 of the eyelets are received and consequently when the strip is applied to the shoe the material of the upper and the lining thereof will lie at the opposite sides of the eyelet and prevent the eyelet from coming in contact with articles of clothing. A shoe lace 8' is threaded through the passage-way 1 and the said lace may be drawn taut to hold the sides of the shoe in close contact with the foot of the wearer and in that the lace bridges the space between the sides or dges of the upper of the shoe and lies approximately in the same plane as the opposite sides of the upper of the'shoe, the said sides are drawn evenly toward each other. WVhen the lace is untied and its ends are released from each other, the said side portions of the lace will move through the eyelets thus permitting the opposite sides of the upper of the shoe to spread. During the longitudinal movement of the lace through the passage-Way 1 it is impossible for the lace to come in contact with the edge of the strip 3 for the reason that the humps which are provided at the opposit side portions of the eyelet lie against the edge of the strip and are interposed between the said edge of the lace. Thus the lace cannot become worn by moving in contact with the edge of the strip.

Having thus described the invention, What we claim as new and desire to secure by cated in the recesses of the flexible strip, said lace passageways being curved longitudinally and concentrically with the curved edges of their respective recesses, and the opposite side portions of the strip of sheet metal being provided with inwardly disposed humps which form one side of the lace passageways and which are adapted to be positioned against the curved edges of the recesses of the flexible strip, and means for securing the side portions of the eyelets to the flexible strip.

2. As an article of manufacture, a shoe attachment comprising a flexible strip provided at its edge with recesses, each recess provided with a curved edge, eyelets supplied to the flexible strip, each eyelet consisting of a strip of sheet metal bent upon itself at a line between its ends to form a lace passageway, the passageways being located in the recesses of the flexible strip, said lace passageways being curved longitudinally and curved edges of their respective recesses, and the opposite side portions of the strip of sheet metal being provided with inwardly disposed humps which form one side of the lace passageways and which are adapted to be positioned against the curved edges of the recesses of the flexible strip, one end of each eyelet being provided with a transversely extending tongue adapted to pierce tures.

' JOHN G. DIOKSON JOHN G. DICKSUN, JR.

concentrically with the 

